My 2011 Street glide with 103 has been making a loud clunk-clunk on shutdown since new. It also had issues with kick back during hot restarts. This weekend I noticed more noise from the primary than normal and what seemed like more slack when on and off the throttle. I opened up the primary when I got home (the fairly fresh oil looked like chocolate milk) and this what I found. My first clue was the slivers on the drain plug. Then the terrible gear wear. Square cut teeth are worn to razor sharp points.

The Compensator has had issues since the beginning I would believe. A mechanic told me one time that my shutdowns sounded like the compensator but he was new to the 103/SE compensator combo and said it's probably normal. Looking at the razor sharp remains of the teeth, I'm lucky I made home.

I ordered a new Baker Compensator kit this morning! I should mention that there is nearly 60,000mi on the bike.

 

A first for me seeing the splines worn like that . Now I can see what would lead to an abrupt loss of drive when that spline finally stripped. Up to now the only wear I have seen is in the hub area with the red, rust like spalling. I have 60,000 on my SE comp. That is a real eye opener. What primary lube have you been using?

 

I use Amsoil 20/50 but will start using Spectro primary lube when I install the Baker compensator.

 

Amsoil has a Synthetic Primary specific fluid available
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produc...?code=MVPQT-EA

 

OP, could you have a case hardness measurement done on your part?
The cam lobes look OK which makes me think there could be a defect in the heat treatment. The working surface of the 3 cam lobes should be close to the total contact surface of the splines (shaft) and these splines only receives pressure, so we expect the cam lobes to wear first due to friction.

 

The hardness may have been an issue but I still need to pay to repair. I wonder if I should go further and change the inner primary bearing too?.

 

If you can prove there is a manufacturing issue you have evidence to back a negotiation.

 

I agree that's an idea, but I have the bike tore apart at home and have already ordered the Baker compensator. I would advise anyone hearing a ker-chunk ker-chunk at shutdown to take a look at the compensator a lot sooner than I did. Thanks for your replies.